Burrowing Mayfly vs Trico Mayfly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Burrowing Mayfly | Trico Mayfly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Hexagenia limbata | Tricorythodes stygiatus |
| Order | Ephemeroptera | Ephemeroptera |
| Family | Ephemeridae | Leptohyphidae |
| Size | 18-32 mm body | 3-6 mm |
| Habitat | Ponds & Lakes | Rivers & Streams |
| Diet | Omnivores | Detritivores |
| Regions | North America | North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Burrowing Mayfly
Creates massive synchronized emergences so dense they appear on weather radar. Billions emerge simultaneously from lake bottoms where nymphs burrowed for up to two years.
Did You Know?
Mayfly emergences along the Mississippi River are so massive they show up on Doppler weather radar — billions of insects rising simultaneously look like approaching thunderstorms.
Trico Mayfly
A tiny mayfly that forms enormous morning spinner falls over calm streams and rivers. Males have distinctive white bodies with black thoraxes.
Did You Know?
Trico spinner falls create such dense blankets of spent mayflies on the water surface that trout gorge themselves to satiation.